


Lost

by sevpottersnape



Series: Abducted [1]
Category: White Collar
Genre: Episode: s01e14 Out of the Box, M/M, More of which will be added later, Part of a larger series, That series also happens to be a massive crossover because I loves me some crossover!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-13
Updated: 2013-03-13
Packaged: 2017-12-05 04:05:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/718694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sevpottersnape/pseuds/sevpottersnape
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after season 1 minor spoilers for the final moments of the finale. </p>
<p>In the aftermath of the final moments of season 1 Neal and Peter begin a relationship.</p>
<p>This is part of a longer story however this one can be read as a stand alone even though the end could be somewhat of a cliffhanger.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lost

**Author's Note:**

> This is mostly unbeta'd (I did get one of my best friends to read this at one point, he's straight and homosexual content makes him uncomfortable, but he liked it though I'm not sure if that's just him being nice or what) if there are any mistakes they are mine feel free to let me know.
> 
> Also I will probably eventually rewrite this or even add scenes that take place in this story later if I think about it.
> 
> And while not needed feedback is appreciated...

 

For everything you have missed,

You have gained something else,

And for everything you gain,

You lose something else.

\- Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

 

“You said good-bye to everyone but me!” Peter’s voice rings out across the hanger hurt and confusion mixed.

 

Neal whips around to stare at Peter shocked. “Peter…” it’s breathy with excitement.

 

“Why?” The amount of pain coming from such a simple word cuts into Neal.

 

“You know why!” He can’t bring himself to admit why to Peter he knows it would make him vulnerable and that’s something he's tried to avoid all of his adult life.

 

“Tell me!” Peter cries, sounding angry, but Neal knows instinctively its more fear than anything, that fear brings about conflicting emotions for Neal; sadness being at the front, he’s never wanted to hurt Peter but right now in this moment that’s what he is doing. But in the back of his mind there’s elation, Peter doesn’t want him to leave and knowing that gives him the courage to answer.

 

“Because you are the only one who could change my mind.”

 

Peter steps forward slightly. “Did I?” the hope in his voice nearly brings Neal to his knees.

 

But Neal knows he has to say good-bye to Kate before he can move on with his life, he turns to walk away till he hears the slight hitch in Peters breathing. He turns to tell Peter something, anything to remove the fear from his eyes. “Peter-“

 

*BOOM*

 

The plane Neal was meant to be on, that Kate was on explodes. Shockwaves from the explosion fling Neal into Peter. Turning in the other mans arms Neal watches in horror as flames shoot out from the plane.

 

The logical part of his mind shuts down as he struggles to get to the wreckage but there’s something keeping him in place and he can’t seem to understand what. In the back of his mind the part that is screaming ‘It’s over there’s nothing that can be done!’ knows that what is stopping him is Peter.

 

Tears stream down his face as he cries to be let go he needs to save Kate. “I can’t Neal. It’s over there’s nothing that can be done! She’s gone!” For a moment Neal hates Peter with a passion that burns hotter than the fire in front of them.

 

It feels like years go by in the time it takes the authorities to get there. Just seeing them causes his heart to break again knowing there really is nothing he can do anymore. He turns to Peter seeking comfort unable to look at the wreck anymore.

 

Police and Paramedics swarm around them asking questions and getting statements, Peter answers everything they need to know and gets a call into the FBI knowing they need to get them involved in this investigation.

 

He and Neal are dragged back to headquarters and questioned for hours separately. When Peter can finally leave he finds Neal sitting on his desk a new high-tech tracking anklet in his hands.

 

“Hughes wanted me thrown back in jail.”

 

“I convinced him that you were needed.”

 

Neal is silent for several long minutes before he looks into Peter’s eyes. “Thank you.”

 

Peter feels his heart fluttering in his chest. “Come home with me tonight you shouldn’t be alone.”

 

Neal looks unsure for a moment. “I don’t want to put you and El out…”

 

“El will just be happy to see you.” Neal eventually nods and Peter turns to leave almost forgetting to put on Neal’s new tracker.

 

~

 

A week later Peter follows Neal up to his room after work, he knows Neal probably needs more time to grieve the loss of Kate but he can’t wait any longer to talk to Neal.

 

As soon as the door to Neal’s room is closed Peter blurts out. “It was more than just stopping you from ruining your life that day…”

 

Neal can’t stop a small grin at Peter. “I know Peter…” Looking away from him he continues. “I’ve known for a long time.”

 

Peters mouth drops open in shock. “Then why didn’t you say anything?”

 

A quiet chuckle escapes Neal. “Peter, I knew the moment you realized it yourself and that wasn’t all that long ago.”

 

Peter looks away remembering what made him realize. “It was after you got taken that I realized I couldn’t keep going without telling you, but then everything afterwards just happened so fast I never had a real chance to say anything.” Neither had to mention it to know what happened at the airport also kept Peter quiet. “Then I heard about the deal, and I had to go, I **_needed_** to go… I had to try.”

 

“Peter…”

 

“Did I?” Neal knew what he was asking; he finally wanted an answer to the question poised at the airport.

 

“You did even before you got there… I realized seeing Kate again that El was right, I couldn’t leave… I couldn’t leave you, but I wanted to tell her good-bye, she deserved an explanation and that’s what I was prepared to give her when you showed up.” Peter closes the distance between them pressing his lips to Neal’s.

 

The rest of the evening passes in a haze of pleasured moans and passionate kissing; hours later as the two men lie pressed close in Neal’s bed worry begins to gnaw in the pit of Neal’s belly.

 

“Peter…” It’s soft and deceptively calm. Peter can tell immediately something is bothering Neal.

 

Looking into Neal’s eyes Peter strokes his face lovingly. “What’s bothering you?”

 

Neal looks away from Peter nervous about how to ask the man he just slept with about his wife while both men are still pressed together nude.

 

Peter lightly runs a hand under Neal’s chin and gently brings it up to look into his eyes again trying to read what is bothering him.

 

“It’s El!” Neal blurts uncharacteristically.

 

Peter appears taken aback for a moment. “What about her?”

 

Wide-eyed Neal looks at Peter shocked. “We just had sex!”

 

Peter grins goofily. “That we did, and it was amazing.” He pulls Neal’s face to his for another kiss, but Neal stops him.

 

“Peter your married to El; I just slept with a married man… El’s gonna kill me… Peter you’re cheating on your wife!”

 

Peter pulls back looking at Neal oddly as he begins rambling about El, by the end he’s smiling in amusement. “El knows exactly where I am and I'm pretty sure she knows exactly what I’ve been doing.”

 

“What?”

 

“Neal you aren’t the only one who knew how I felt about you, El’s known just as long as you have I'm sure, she’s fine with this, hell she encouraged this. I love my wife, but I also love you. El knows this.”

 

Neal is wide-eyed staring at Peter. “She knows?”

 

Peter chuckles a little running the knuckles of one hand along Neal’s jaw. “She was routing for this.”

 

Neal is silent for a moment looking away from Peter as everything he said sinks in. Slowly a grin steals over his face as the words Peter said sink in, with a delighted chuckle Neal wraps himself around Peter, lips pressing anywhere they can.

 

~

 

Peter can’t stop himself from nervously pacing in front of his closet, tonight he was taking Neal out for dinner and a play the man had been hinting at wanting to go to for the last few days. Their affair had begun a little over 2 weeks ago and Peter couldn’t stop the nervous flutter in his stomach now every time he even thought of Neal.

 

“Peter hurry up, Neal is going to be here any minute honey!” El calls; Peter still couldn’t believe just how lucky he was to have such a gorgeous woman, and then there was Neal… what had he done right to have two such beautiful and vivacious people in his life.

 

“Peter?” El comes in looking for him. “You look so handsome.” When Peter looks up there is a sparkle in El’s eyes.

 

“Thanks El.”

 

“Here wear this tie tonight.” El says as she pulls out an expensive purple striped tie, it had been Neal’s he had loaned it to Peter months ago when he needed to dress up during a case, Neal had scoffed at the tie he had worn; red dots on a black background.

 

Shaking himself out of his memory Peter smiles down at El. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

 

El gives him a teary smile. “You would be completely lost without me and you know it.”

 

Peter leans forward kissing her forehead. “You got that right,” Peter pauses eyeing his wife. “Are you really ok with all this?”

 

El strokes a hand down Peter’s face. “We’ve been married for almost 11 years now Peter, 8 of those years Neal has played some part or another in your life and I accept that, this thing with Neal makes you happy and I am perfectly fine with that.”

 

“I love you so much El.”

 

El grins broadly at Peter. “I love you too silly man, now hurry up Neal should be here any minute.” Before Peter can say anything else the doorbell rings. “Oh there’s Neal hurry up mister!” El says as she runs out of the room to answer the door.

 

Peter takes one last look at himself in the mirror thinking about just how lucky he is, with a last shake of his head to clear his thoughts he heads down to meet his date.

 

~*3 hours later*~

 

Mozzie and El are sitting together on her couch joking and laughing as they sip champagne and gossip about Peter and Neal.

 

“I can’t believe Peter took so long to realize how he felt about Neal, I mean I knew from the beginning if given half a chance Peter would fall for the man, I mean he’s like me with a penis really.”

 

“So true, I mean Neal always came to me to talk about the ‘Suit’ and I knew this thing he had with Kate could never have stood up against the ‘Suit’ if Neal had been given even the slightest clue there was mutual interest.”

 

“I know, I even told Neal before when he came to say good-bye that he can’t leave Peter.”

 

Mozzie opens his mouth to respond when the door bell rings. “Are you expecting anyone?”

 

El shakes her head and heads to the door cautiously Mozzie behind her. “Who’s there?”

 

“El, its Diana.”

 

El pulls the door open quickly. “What happened?” Agent Jones and Diana are standing on the doorstep looking worried.

 

“Neal’s tracking anklet has been cut.” Diana explains.

 

“We need to see Peter!” Jones demands looking past El to eye Mozzie suspiciously.

 

“Peter? He was with Neal… They were going to dinner and a play off Broadway… Neal had been hinting about wanting to go…” El was beginning to get scared now.

 

“That sounds like a date…” Jones turns to El confused.

 

“It was a date… Oh God why are you here? You should be out looking for them!”

 

“We didn’t know Peter wasn’t here.” Diana cuts in placating.

 

Jones turns to Diana. “We need to go to where Neal’s anklet was last active.”

 

“I'm going with you!” El demands leaving little room for the two agents to argue.

 

“WE’RE coming with you!” Mozzie adds, he can feel something is wrong.

 

Not wanting to waste time neither agent argues just leads El and Mozzie to their car. It’s a ten minute drive from the Burke residence to the last place Neal had been. There are few street lights in the area and a lot of dark alleyways to slip into beginning at the closest one to last reading received.

 

It doesn’t take long to actually find the tracker no effort was made to hide it from view than placing the tracker in the alley with Peter’s badge and Neal’s consultant ID.

 

As Diana picks up the two IDs a small scrap of paper flutters from Peter’s, kneeling to find out what it is Diana can’t stop a short gasp. Slowly she walks to where El and Mozzie are waiting worriedly just outside yellow perimeter tape Jones had put up.

 

“This is evidence but I think it’s something you need to see…” Diana can barely bring herself to hand over the small scrap.

 

El snatches it scared of what it could possibly be to so obviously upset Diana. As she stares down at the paper El can feel her heart breaking scrawled across the center of the paper reads only two words; “Sorry El.”

 

~

 

**Author's Note:**

> Ok this is part of a story I've been working on for awhile I've decided to start posting this and while the next part doesn't mention anyone from this story it can answer what happened to them or at least it can be inferred.


End file.
